hey baby

I don't know what it's like to be a minority in the USA, but I sure know how uncomfortable it is to be a minority in Honduras.

Stares galore.

I like attention. I like to be noticed when I walk in a room. But I do not like to be the center of attention for long-- and living in Honduras, I am one big magnet for eyes.

I saw a man who was albino at a mall in the capital city. We exchanged brief glances and I think he was more surprised to see me than the other way around.

I don't know how to explain how draining, unnerving and uncomfortable it is to be watched everywhere you go. Being introverted doesn't help ease my agitation. I can't walk around the corner to buy a candy bar without hearing whistles and guttural voices calling out "Hey baby" to my backside. I never liked catcalls in the States, but given the violent nature of life here, it makes me even more uneasy to receive so much attention. It is never flattering to be viewed as a sex object. I don't think men anywhere understand this, but certainly not in Honduras.

I'm really not trying to be dramatic. Staying cooped up in my apartment is no life at all, and so of course I do walk around outside. I always leave the apartment eager to enjoy the fresh air, but soon the reality will set in and I begin to walk a little faster, wanting nothing more than to return again.

Walking with the other girls puts me at ease, but this is not a regular occurrence. And so... out I go.